Piercing tap



June 17, 1941. H. MILLER PIERCING TAP Filed June 1, 1939 INVENTOR.

BY Maw-r422 ATTORNEY,

Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIERCING TAP HowardMiller, Burlingame, Calif.

Application June 1, 1939, Serial No. 276,848

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a tap, and particularly to a tap for piercingand tapping the walls of containers.

An object of this invention is to provide a tap adapted to pierce a holethrough the wall of a container which hole fits over the intake stem ofthe tap; said hole being so cut out by the insertion of the tap that thematerial punched out of the space of the hole is held in an out of wayposition but remains joined at a point to the wall of the container,thereby preventing the falling of foreign particles or material into thecontents of the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tap with an outlet andinlet which face in opposite directions, the intake being cut at anangle to the axis of the inlet stem of the tap and the slanting edge ofthe intake opening being so curved to cut with a. shearing actionsubstantially around the circumference of the hole into which the inletstem fits, leaving an uppermost point of the disc-like piece of cut-outmaterial unsevered so that said piece hangs on the inside of thecontainer wall above the intake of the tap but in an out of wayposition.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tap whereby a containerhaving comparatively thin or pierceable walls can be tapped at selectedlevels so as to drain or draw off the contents of the container inpredetermined quantities, the levels of discharge may be marked on theexterior of the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tap having slantingintake opening provided with a spirally slanting shearing edge whichinclines from a cutting lip to an apex with such curvatures so as to cuta hole to snugly fit the outer periphery of the stem of the tap.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tap which is highlyuseful and simple in construction. Convenience of arrangement, lightnessand comparative inexpense of manufacture are further objects which havebeen borne in mind in the production and'development of the invention.

myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts asillustrated in the accompanying drawing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointedout in the appended claim, reference is had tov the accompanying drawingfor the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a container with my piercing tap in positiontherein.

Fig. 2 is a side view of my tap, the wall of the container being shownin section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my tap in position, a fragmental part ofthe container wall being shown in section, and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the detached tap.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a tubular tap 5. An outletopening 6 of the tap! preferably points downwardly and the tube curvessubstantially ninety degrees from said outlet opening 6 to an inlet stemI. An inlet opening 8 on the end of the stem 1 faces upwardly in adirection substantially opposite to the direction of the outlet opening6. A collar 9 around the stem I determines the extent of penetration ofthe inlet stem I through a wall III of a container II, as shown inFigures 1 to 3.

The container l I is of the usual type with comparatively thin walls aspresently employed for dispensing fluid. In the herein illustration thecontainer II is of the type used for dispensing milk and is made ofstiff waterproof paper or composition board. A marker line I! around theexterior of the container ll indicates the level at which the thickertop of the milk usually col lects. The container ll may be also providedat its top with the usual closure flap IS.

The tap is adapted to pierce the wall I!) of the container l I. In orderto cut such a hole through the container wall In that fits closelyaround the periphery of the inlet stem 1,1 provide a cuttingedge on theslanting inlet opening 8 which cuts with a circular shearing action andwhich pushes the disc-like piece of material so cut to an out of wayposition without completely severing the cut out piece of material fromthe wall It).

The cutting edge around the slanting inlet opening 8 includes a lip edgeH, a protruding rounded corner l5 of which is the leading edge forpiercing. The cutting edge then slants substantially spirally to aninner apex l6 at the top of the intake stem I and then back to the lipH. The portion of the edge which leads from the cutting corner [5 to theapex I6 is concavely curved at H, and a convex edge It continues fromthe apex it to the lip is on the other side of the inlet opening 8. Thisspiral slanting cutting edge penetrates gradually around thecircumference of the proposed hole. The round leading corner I! starts acircular line of cut but the slant of the spiral is such that it doesnot complete an entire circle but it leaves a point is uncut. The apexii of the slanting edge with the aid of the convex edge is pushes thesubstantially circular disc-like piece of material 20 into an out wayposition above said apex IS. The hole 2| thus cut through container wallIn snugly fits over the outer periphery oi the inlet stem I of the tapI.

In operation, for instance for tapping a milk carton for withdrawing thecream from the top the cutting corner I! is pushed into the wall It, a

then the inlet stem 1 is pressed into the wall Hi. When the hole ispunched the outlet 6'- is directed downwardly, the inlet opening 8 facesupwardly inside or the container. All the material above the level ofthe inlet 8 drains out through the tap 5. The tap may be left in thewall ill in this initial position and used as an outlet spout for thecontainer, or if it is desired to empty the container to successivepredetermined levels then the tap can be withdrawn and then repeatedlyinserted at successive predetermined levels suitably marked on theoutside of the container. In this manner the contents of the containercan be withdrawn in exact measured quantities.

It is to be noted that this tap may be used as a spigot by turning thespout so that its outlet 6 points upwardly thus the flow can be stoppedand then by turning the spout back again to its downward pointingposition the flow is resumed. In this manner spilling o! the contents isprevented while the container is handled. This tap may be used inconnection with containers containing any substance that am such asfluid, cereal, salt or powder on any granulated material.

The tap herein is unitary in structure; it does not require anyadjustment, it operates in a simple manner without severing any part ofthe wall, yet emciently drains the contents of a container.

I claim:

A tap comprising an outlet spout, an inlet stem having a slanting inletopening at its end, a cutting edge iormed on the inlet opening being soshaped as to form a rounded cutting lip at one side of the outer edge 0!the inlet opening and curving around the slant with a concave curvaturefrom one side of said lip and with a convex curvature from the otherside oi. the lip, said concave and convex edges joining at the innerapex oi the slanting edge, the convex edge being so curved as to pushthe cut-awayportion oi the container wall to an out of the way positionabove said inner apex of said slanting inlet opening.

HOWARD MILLER.

